- Date
- April 14, 1994, 21:57 local (Apr 15, 1994, 01:57 UTC)
- Place
- Raleigh, NC
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6380WPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940414007809A
- Case key
- 3371
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel planning that resulted in fuel starvation.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After flying three and one half hours, the pilot diverted to an airport short of the destination airport for fuel. About three miles northeast of the airport the engine quit, and attempts by the pilot to restore engine power failed. A forced landing was made in a wooded area short of the runway. Examination of the wreckage disclosed that the left fuel tank was half full and the right fuel tank was ruptured. A few drops of fuel were recovered from the gascolator. The fuel selector was in the right position. The pilot stated that he forgot to switch the fuel selector from the right position.
Factual narrative
On April 14, 1994, at 2157 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28- 140, N6380W, collided with trees during a forced landing, about 3 miles northeast of the Raleigh-Durham Airport, Raleigh, North Carolina. Visual conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal, night flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, with no flight plan filed. The airplane was destroyed; the pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The flight departed the Allegheny County Airport, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at 1830 hours.
According to the pilot, he diverted into Raleigh to refuel, but while on final the engine quit. The pilot elected to leave the fuel selector on the right tank; the right fuel gauge showed approximately one half tank of fuel. Attempts to restore full engine power failed, and the pilot selected an area along the final approach course to runway 23R for a forced landing.
Examination of the airplane disclosed that the left fuel tank was half full and the right tank was ruptured. A few drops of fuel was recovered from the gascolator assembly. During an interview with the pilot, he stated that he forgot to change the fuel selector before the engine quit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6380W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-20443
- Airframe hours
- 3,250
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Roth, Jeffrey L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 8, 1993 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- AGC · Pittsburg, PA
- Destination
- RDU
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 305 total · 207 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 3 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.